The present invention is directed to a catheter for treatment of hypertrophy of the prostate, more specifically to the balloon dilatation of the prostate. Balloon dilatation has recently been introduced as an alternative procedure to transurethral resection of the prostate. This procedure involves inflating a balloon within the prostatic urethra to relieve outflow obstruction. Balloon dilatation generates a radial force against the prostate gland using a non-compliant balloon. The balloons used in this approach are essentially a modification of the non-compliant balloon developed for transluminal angioplasty of the coronary arteries.
One of the principal concerns in the use of balloon dilatation is the proper positioning of the balloon within the prostatic urethra. It must provide dilatation of the prostatic urethra, but it must not dilate the external sphincter. A number of techniques have been developed for providing this accurate positioning. One involves a radiopaque portion of the catheter carrying the balloon, another has a locator at the base of the dilatation balloon for digital palpation and a third has a marker on an external portion of the catheter which can be observed by a separate cystoscope which views the outside of the catheter through a separate catheter channel exterior to the main catheter.
The most pertinent patented prior art known to applicant is encompassed in the following patents:
______________________________________ U.S. Pat. No. 4,490,421 Levy December 25, 1984 U.S. Pat. No. 4,540,404 Wolvek September 10, 1985 U.S. Pat. No. 4,660,560 Klein April 28, 1987 U.S. Pat. No. 4,738,659 Sleiman April 19, 1988 U.S. Pat. No. 4,779,611 Grooters et al. October 24, 1988 U.S. Pat. No. 4,808,164 Hess February 28, 1989 U.S. Pat. No. 4,893,623 Rosenbluth January 16, 1990 U.S. Pat. No. 4,955,895 Sugiyama et al. September 11, 1990 U.S. Pat. No. 5,007,898 Rosenbluth et al April 16, 1991 German Patent No. Von Zeppelin D June, 1978 2653424 ______________________________________